Building automation, such as home automation, are used to control basic building functions and features automatically or from remote locations. Building automation may include centralized control (e.g., scheduling and automatic operation) of HVAC heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), water sprinkler systems, window coverings, security systems, lighting, food preparation appliances, etc. that are associated with a building (e.g., a home, an office, etc.).
Advanced building automation technologies (e.g., new Internet technologies and new automation protocols) and lower hardware costs enable users to control building functions remotely from anywhere in the world using a computing device connected to the Internet. For example, there are currently more than about a dozen building automation protocols with various functionalities. However, these advanced technologies may cause problems of compatibility for building automation components (e.g., appliances) that are made by various manufacturers adopting different building automation protocols. For example, when a user select a building automation component (e.g., security camera), the user has to ensure that this component can be appropriately controlled alone or with other components of a building automation system. This may cause a lot of work in converting a simple house into a house that features building automation.